Engagement [Book 3: SEKTOR V Trilogy]

Chapter 19: Dead Still

Chapter 19: Dead Still

Cairo had made a one-time exception to let key members of the Resistance Leadership join her in the "quiet room". I hope I don't live to regret this decision. Everyone around her knew that the stakes were high. Her Troop was about to face an existential threat from a non-biological entity and there was very little Cairo could do to help them. As concerned as she was for their well-being, she still had to remain vigilant about monitoring the "mental state" of their immediate surroundings. Doing so required her to keep close tabs on all 20 members as she simultaneously scanned radially outward for potential threats from extraterrestrial biological forces. Thanks to the Troop's mission parameters, Cairo was always well within active and passive TP range. To help calm herself, as well as the individual Troop members, she asked each of them to provide brief, periodic mental "check-ins" that she would monitor from afar. Cairo's concern ran deep but she was especially worried about Jake, who was in the process of completing a nearly unspeakable task. It was an event that she knew was likely to scar him for the rest of his life. The mere thought of what he had to do disturbed Cairo deeply.

Despite the downside of potentially cluttering the mental airwaves around her, she was thankful that Resistance Leadership was with her during this trying time. Quintavius, who, for all intents and purposes was her surrogate Father, understood her situation better than anyone else and instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand.

"We can help him," he comforted her telepathically. "There are effective coping and memory techniques that go far beyond the psychotherapy Humans are familiar with."

Cairo, without saying a word, looked at Quin with tears in her eyes and gripped his hand tightly.

General Asoban, who had been watching Cairo from across the room could sense her thoughts despite having no TP abilities to draw from.

"He is a trained soldier and a good one at that," he told her. "He can compartmentalize. He has to...the fate of 20 people are riding on his ability to do so. You have a good man, Cairo. Don't worry, just remember to tell him that the next time you see him. I'm confident your strength will help him through this."

Without delving into the gruesome details, the General and Quintavius were referencing the fact that Jake has just finished removing the scattered remains of Zyniche from the clearing where she had been killed. Cairo couldn't be more specific than that because she wasn't there and Jake, at least for the time being, had remained remarkably mentally quiet throughout the horrifically grisly task he was forced to complete. Somehow, Jake had found a way to keep his composure through it all. Cairo knew that any blood, tissue, brain matter, or bone fragments that remained would be detected by the flying AI monsters. Most terrifying of all, these stupid robots kept getting smarter and never made the same mistake twice. Cairo exhaled deeply as she acknowledged her oxymoronic description of the treacherous machines. The fact that she had no way to use her talents to see them coming or know what they were thinking frustrated her beyond words...and thoughts.

"Jake is the situation fully secure? You're running out of time." Cairo sent her message to Xaio telepathically, who, in turn, communicated verbally with Jake who stood a few meters away from her.

Xiao reported back to Cairo that Jake was still meticulously sterilizing the area in a last-minute effort to make sure he didn't miss anything. Over a five-minute period, he had managed to neutralize the grounds and collect all of the visible organic material he could find from the scene. Cairo communicated these additional details to Resistance Leadership. She remained nervous, knowing that the smallest bit of DNA could end up killing them all. She was also worried about the emotional stress Jake was under. He had all the medical and chemical tools he would need to complete the horrific endeavor but could he handle the emotional trauma of "cleaning up" a lost friend? She knew it had to be disturbingly difficult for him to endure.